PB287Q 4K For The Masses – CES 2014

One of the most exciting new components of 2013 was the introduction of 4K monitors. These ultra high resolution monitors ushered in an era of fidelity, detail, and sharpness never seen before outside of multi monitor setups. It really offers another level of immersion that draws you in and knocks you out. The main criticism offered from some enthusiasts and PC gamers was the size and cost of PQ321 our first 4K monitor. I am excited to announce and detail an upcoming new 4K monitor that will usher in new era of ultra high resolution, image fidelity as well as immersion but in a smaller 28 inch size and at significantly lower price.

Before we jump into the new PB287Q there are a few other important points to be aware of when evaluating the state of 4K. Currently 4K makes sense for prosumers interested in high resolution photography and videography as well PC gamers. PC gamers can be thankful that modern generation game engines offer scalability in their resolution engines supporting these ultra high resolutions so the need for content is not present it is in the same way it it is apparent in the world of 4K video. Whether it be Battlefiled 4, Call Of Duty Ghosts, Batman Arkham Origins or Assassins Creed Black Flag there are robust and diverse range of games put out over the last couple of years ready for 4K gaming. At the same time we have had consistent improvements in GPU performance over the last two years that have put the high spend spectrum of GPUs in a great position to offer playable performance at high resolutions with high IQ settings. With games being covered and the performance needed to push those 4K worth of pixels availible PC gamers are primed and ready for next generation of PC gaming.

Prosumers into the digital photography as well as videography are also in a great place. With rapid advancements in sensor technology there are no more than ever a wide range of devices present allowing for ultra high resolution content to be captured or recorded. Working on a 4K monitor from a content creation perspective opens a level of flexibility previously only available through the use of multi monitor setups. The benefit though is not only in the increase desktop “work space” but in the improvement in sharpness and overall fidelity offered a ultra high definition monitor. Having the ability being able to see high resolution content in that much more detail truly helps to propel the creative professional or prosumer. Last but not least are content professionals working in 3D content freation or cad where the sharpness and increased resolution can pay dividends in the usability improvements.

With this in mind ASUS has been working on designing and developing a monitor that would offer the image quality, response time and size being communicated by PC enthusiasts and PC gamers. Here at CES 2014 the new PB287Q is being unveiled offering up 28 inches of 4K resolution, 1ms response time and native 60Hz operation. Based on a newly developed panel that is lower in cost but not in quality it allows the new PB287Q to be aggressively priced with a projected $799 MSRP. After spending some hands on time with the monitor I have come away thoroughly impressed. Rich detail and good color saturation, that is a check. Good grey-scale and black reproduction, that is a check. Sharpness and a bright even picture, that is also a check. To top it all it features a special blue light filter that helps to reduce flicker and reduce eyestrain. Lets take a look at some of the pictures of the PB287Q. Keep in mind that CES makes for poor back-lighting for photos. I cannot wait to put it through a few hours of gaming to get a sense of the increased FOV, sharpness and clarity and overall immersion of gaming on a 28 inch 4K monitor! Enough with the specs lets check out some pictures of the PB287Q.

Hopefully a few of these images give you a small sense of the sharpness and fidelity that the monitor produces. I can tell you playing games at 4K or watching high bit rate video looks stunning. Another important usage note is users coming from a 27inch monitor will free right at home not feeling that the monitor will overcrowd them or overshadow them. The monitor rounds out its technical specifications with a great deal of flexibility allowing for a extensive customization range for your desk environment. The range of adjustment options include swivel, tilt, pivot and height adjustment. VESA mounting is supported as well.

That wrap up our quick look at the new PB278Q I guess I better start making some space….Stay tuned for more information on the new PB287Q. With that I will leave you with a few other photos of this new 4K monitor.

204 Responses to "PB287Q 4K For The Masses – CES 2014"

I have been surprisingly impressed by this panel in regards to initial color reproduction, grey scale and black reproduction ( at least in full screen images or videos ). If you were waiting on 4K this is a great monitor to consider, especially at the projected MSRP. I am a big fan of the size ( 28 inches ) as well which I feel is a bit more manageable than the almost 32 inches of the PQ321.

Happy New Year to you JJ!! Yes I will be getting some ASUS monitors this year and am so excited you guys have put these out. I know the will surpass my expectations. I will let you know what I think for sure.

JJ, I have a question for you… As a 60Hz 4K Monitor, will this panel use the same MST tech as the larger (much more expensive) 4K Asus Monitor? I am considering a new Mac Pro, and currently Apple only supports Sharp and Asus’ versions of MST, NOT Dell’s. So is this the same MST as used in previous Asus 4K Monitors – Hence compatible with the newest Mac Pros?

That is amazing news about the release date! JJ, one last question. I know MST support through DP1.2 isn’t standardized yet and that’s the reason people were having problems with connecting a Dell 4K to the new MacPro while achieving a 60Hz frame rate.. However, Apple has incorporated the larger Asus 4K monitor into its Mac OS X support. So my question is this – will this display use the same firmware for MST through the DisplayPort 1.2 connection to achieve60Hz

We are currently attempting to ensure compatibility but can confirm at this stage whether it will be. As we approach the release date more information will be released in relation to OSX / MAC PRO compatibility / interoperability.

Hey man, that’s awesome news. When I asked Dell the same question it was something along the lines of “We do not do any testing with Apple products or OS X”. So “trying” is good enough for me. You had success with the 31.5″ model and supposedly it works the best with the 2013 Mac Pro, so I’m sure you guys will do just as good a job. Thanks for your speedy responses. Asus kills it.

JJ1 year ago .

No problem. We are doing our best to be open to the communities feedback and trying to ensure the best interoperability and compatibility.

JJ – top guy, keep the MST / OSX info coming and release date, I am already in the virtual queue for this bad boy and am also building a new 4k gaming rig decked out with Asus Extreme board, and 290x, to sit next to the macpro to share this screen

Thank you for all the info. I have a Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (with the docking station if it matters) & both have a mini DP output (confirmed with MS it supports 4K resolution & DP v1.2). I use it for productivity, web browsing & YouTube at home (no gaming). My question is, I know DP v1.2 supports the MST tech for 60Hz. Does that (being able to utilize 60Hz instead of 30Hz) still apply even though I’ll be using a mini DP-to-DP cable or does the original source have to have a DP output? Thanks & looking forward to it!

We only have previously announced 1 specific 4K monitor for release / production and this was the current PQ321. Otherwise any other monitors would have been just prototypes or possible options. We have a number of other 4K monitors currently in design and development but are carefully collecting feedback from the community as a whole prior to moving forward. Our next 4K monitor will be the PB287Q which is confirmed for release in late Q1.

Ahhhh such news hurts my chest, but I really appreciate the feedback JJ your the best!

The one thing I have noticed with my 39″ Seiki 4K VA panel is the insane crushing of black levels…its downright crippling in games at times. But 39″ 4K is perfect for my work productivity….I just want a 60hz version! Is there anyway I can get my hands on that floor model you guys showed back in Computex 2013

LOL thanks for the feedback. As of right now there are some possible plans on a larger monitor for 4K but we are going to continue to collect feedback as we move towards which type and sizes of monitors to consideration for the remainder of 2014.

Well, if you are still listening, 39″ is a much better size for a 4k monitor. Trying to read the tiny shrunken text on a 28″ monitor is pointless. I want a readable .25mm dot pitch and a huge screen to make games more immersive as well. 4k with a .25mm dot pitch comes out to about 44″, so when I buy a 4k monitor it will be big… no smaller than 36.” I also want it to be a good quality IPS panel that looks as good color-wise as my old NEC and deliver 60fps. And something we can just plug into the display port of a high end video card and know it will work.

Sorry, I won’t be getting your 28″ or 32″ models… they are just too small for 4k resolution.

Well you have already secured my campaign donations for a 120hz ROG Swift 1440p & PB287Q, so you may as well go for the wallet trifecta and unleash the 39!

I solved the black crush issue of the Seiki VA panel by dialing the brightness up, while dialing the backlight down, that gives the best compromise for white / black / grey level and eye fatigue….and it looks really, really good except for the bane of 30hz.

I know you guys have a million profitibility things to consider before putting capital into new products, but you could market the 39″ towards engineers, architects, programmers and real estate appraisers….well maybe not appaisers because they are scum!

Anyway, the large Ultra def screen is invaluable because it allows those professionals to display full sets of blueprints, schematics, multiple full size web pages and code without having to squint. Gamers and graphic artists are not the only ones who need & appreciate quality displays and 39″ really lets 4k shine!

Thanks for the great feedback. It is apppreciated. We are continuing to expand display focus at content professionals and professional environments. This could be an option depending on how much feedback and interest we see. Again thank you for the providing the feedback and the perspective from another set of users!

It really depends on the game and the IQ settings you are looking at overall my recommendation would be a GTX 770 class gpu or higher in SLI for a good to great gameplay experience. A single GPU could be possible as well but really varies as it is heavily game engine and IQ settings dependent. GRID 2 is different than BF4 which is different than TOTAL WAR which is different than BIOSHOCK.

JJ you said before Q1 ends right? Wouldn’t that be before March 31st? Is Asus planning on doing a pre-order? I’m just getting antsy, as I need a 4K Display and I’m really trying to hold out for this one! Any updates are appreciated!

Hi JJ, one more question in regard to MacBooks from 2011, 2012 without Retina Display. Could you confirm the the PB287Q will run (connected with mDP to DP) under resolution of 2560×1440 with 60Hz? If this will be possible I would like to buy one PB287Q use it with my current MBP 2011 which I will replace in 2015. Thanks & regards in advance.

Is this going to operate on MST with dual-scalers to achieve native 4k 60hz like the PQ321Q? Or is it gonna have a beefy new TCON that handles perfect 60hz 4k without the need for MST mode? I gotsta know!

Appreciate your feedback. We are still collecting more feedback on where our design and development will be targeted for larger displays including those that may feature G-SYNC or 4K. Additionally as there are a multitude of new and different panel types we will continue to evaluate the experience of the panel more importantly over the default of selecting a specific panel type. This allows us to look at all the options available as opposed to limiting our design goals.

Cannot comment on it as the final MP sample will vary from the samples I viewed at CES. I will say though I was impressed with horizontal view angle performance on the PB. The high resolution content along with the new improved 10 bit panel really helps. As we get closer to the release I will definitely have more hands on impressions. Stay tuned.

JJ, I would really love the 39″ 4k monitor. I believe most gamers with huge desks could support it. And the DPI is much better support 4k at 39″ than at a smaller size screen. This is also really great for ppl that don’t want multi monitor but want a bigger experience. Please urge Asus to do it!

I was planning to buy the Asus PA279Q for my photo editing and I have the late 2012 MacBook pro with discrete graphic card. Should I hold off on buying it and get this instead? Its about the same price I believe. Im also worried if my MacBook can even support this 4k monitor.

I would also want to buy a 39″ monitor. The PPI of the apple display provides about 109 Pixels/inch. The closest size in a monitor that matches that is about 40″. A 39″ monitor from you, even at $3K, would result in purchase

Just throwing it out there but the 39 inch 4K would be pretty much the same pixel density as a 2560x1440p monitor, which is perfect because scaling on windows (even 8.1) is hit or miss, especially 3rd party apps. A 39 inch monitor would be great for those of us who want a larger monitor but aren’t too fond of surround/multiple monitors.

That said, I’d almost pick up any monitor < 31.5 inch that has G-Sync from Asus. In fact, is it possible for Asus to prep ALL of their 4K monitors to receive a G-Sync module? I can't imagine you guys having to go out of your way that much to make it compatible from the get go allowing those of us who want to spend the extra money for a module to DIY.

Thanks for the feedback we are continuing to collect feedback on the potential interest for larger 4K monitors. As for G-SYNC there are multiple considerations including the size of the module and restrictions it may place when considering color calibration, OSD implementation and multiple display inputs on the monitor. As such we must carefully evaluate what our users are looking for in respect to all these points. Thank you for your feedback.

JJ! I know this is kind of unrelated, BUT when is the THunderboltEX II Dual going to be available for purchase! I’ve been waiting forever for this! Asus.com says it’s been “available for purchase” for over a month now! I know you can find out for me!

When I 1st heard about the 39″ 4k prototype I was hyped. I’m looking for a replacement for my 42″ Plasma 1080p Screen which I currently use in my room for my PC. I cant stand small screens, so I’m only looking at 37″ to 42″ screens. When G-Sync was announced the idea of it as well as 4k at 39″ is just godlike, and the fact the VA panel is much cheaper than the IGZO panel in the 31.5 Inch screen meant the price was/is likely to be much more sensible (~£1,000). I urge Asus to produce a 39″ 4k Monitor with G-Sync, and don’t just make it professional grade with low Response times and blurring, ill be using it for Gaming myself and I know other people would as well.

It really comes down to preference. As 4K requires 2 GPUs ( starting with a GTX 770 and up ) I would most likely say the SWIFT is a better option. It provides you a higher native resolution ( 2560×1440 ) along with low input lag and high response performance ( 120Hz, 1ms response ). In addition you have support for technologies like G-SYNC and ULMB. Overall if your focus is gaming the SWIFT is a great choice and aligns performance wise with the GPU you have.

Depends on the game and IQ settings. For the most demanding titles yes I would state you ideally want to have 2 GPUs. Overall my minimum recommendation for 4GB is GTX 770 or R9 280X ( although the 280 ) could also be a choice.

Is there any chance we can get the PQ321Q updated with the G-Sync module? That monitor’s been out for almost a year probably a refresh is in store for this monitor. A 32 inch 4K IZGO monitor would be ideal for low latency and we could do away with MST by going with the G-Sync module. Even at $3000, the addition of the G-Sycn module and getting rid of MST would be worth it.

At this time there are no plans to offer the PQ321Q with a G-SYNC module. We are currently collecting information from our users and the community on interest in larger monitor as well as 4K monitors with G-SYNC support.

JJ! I was just looking at the DigitalTrends review and it says that this monitor will include Thunderbolt 2 inputs! Is this true?! It would make sense, cuz Asus is a big proponent of Thunderbolt. If it is, I am truly excited!

Samsung IS out. It’s available on Newegg. You can also get the Dell for 1000- I bought it. Figured a 99% AdobeRGB IPS is worth the 200 dollar difference. Sorry JJ, still building an Asus LGA2011! Just got ahold of 2 titan blacks! SO stoked! I need a rig now or I’d wait for the Haswell-E, guess there’s always something better out there… Oh well.

Not the crapoy Dell. There are 3 4K Dell’s. There is the TN (like te Asus about to come out) and yes that is only 30Hz. Then there are two Pro level IPS displays, a 24″ and a 30″. I went for the 24″ and it was under a thousand. The 30hz is a joke. I have the MST 60hz DP 1.2

JJ ! What prevents me from buying the Samsung 4k equivalent is the pivoting feature, the speakers and the input sources. In particular I’d like to know how the Picture by Picture function combines with the pivoting and how many sources are allowed at a time.

Dcasewoods – the samsung isnt really all the way out. Sure, it’s out in Korea, and newegg is charging about $200 more to get it a few weeks sooner and have it shipped from Korea. I can wait a few weeks. There is no Dell out there for $1000. There is a crappy Dell 28″ UHD 30HZ out there for $800…but i hope you didnt buy that for your 2x Titan blacks….that would be one bad gaming experience! There is also a Dell 32″ 4k that will do 60hz, but it’s over $2k, just like the Asus 32″ 4K. Everyone is waiting for either this Asus PB287Q or the Samsung U28D590D, and i truely see no advantage to wait for the asus model if the samsung is ready to roll.

The Samsung listed for $870 on Newegg’s from a 3rd party so I don’t consider it truly sold by Newegg since they wouldn’t charge over MSRP. Also, the main reason I prefer the Asus over the Samsung is because it has a VESA mount whereas the Samsung doesn’t have it. I love my Ergotron desk arm mount & can’t live without it so need a monitor with this feature.

AND YES, I ordered the Dell UltraSharp 24″ UP2414Q 4K (3840 x 2160 at 60Hz IPS Panel) DIRECT from Newegg for $998. They were running a Dell 10% off Sale at the time. The monitor is now priced at 1068.99 – Not too far off. So yes, there is a Dell 4K out there for under $1000 – I’m looking at it as we speak in my office as we speak. Here’s the link:

Just FYI to others reading, the samsung is not MSRP $799.99, it is MSRP $699.99. I said $200 more as an around-about statement, sorry i could have said that newegg is selling the samsung for $169.99 more to be more exact.

Wish we could get a real date on this monitor. Would prefer the Asus over the Samsung. Been trying hard to wait for this one but between the lack of a date and the fact the Samsung is a bit cheaper i might have to get the Samsung if we dont have some more definitive information about the release of the Asus soon. Also are there any plans for a nice monitor with a non-TN type panel that will be good for both gaming and graphical artists? It’s really quite annoying that currently it seems like you can only have one of the two, a low latency high refresh rate gaming monitor with a TN panel and crap color (VG248QE) or you get a nice panel with great color Precalibrated (PA249Q) but end up with a slow display. Are we ever going to have a display with a high quality, precalibrated color space, low latency and that doesnt use a TN panel so the few of us who dont want a multi monitor setup can actually enjoy both games and media on one display? Im sick of games looking like crap because of either poor color reproduction or latency issues. Would be really nice to see a true high end display that can cover both groups.

Appreciate your feedback and as I am sure you can understand different products are designed for different users along with the reality of differences in panel technology. With that noted keep an open mind as panel design are improving and TN and IPS should not be assumed as the only choices. We are actively looking at all options and feedback from across all our users and the display community to focus on products that meed the wants and needs of these individuals. The newest TN panels while not in the same class as IPS or PLS I will say are considerably improved when compared to previous generation TN Panel not only in viewing angles but in color saturation and black reproduction. With these type of new panels coming out as well as others being designed and developed we are looking at trying to find display technologies to incorporate to meet the criteria you have noted. This is something we have shown with the SWIFT which while not IPS is still a WQHD monitor with low response time, high refresh rate and solid viewing angles and good color reproduction. As is the case in most technical products there are a lot of details that need to be evaluated when ultimately deciding whether a product meets your criteria of importance and relevancy. Again appreciate your feedback and stay tuned.

I bought one of those U28D590s from a Korean seller. It got here on Wednesday and I was so unhappy with it that I re-sold it to a local buyer on Friday! TN + AG is a no go for me, its AG coating made that 4k panel look like it needed 4xAA at all times!

I hope to God Asus uses full glossy on this 4k and Rog Swift offering, because TN+AG is a terrible combination no matter how many bit the TN is!

Sad to hear that you guys won’t be releasing a 39″ screen anytime soon. I can’t ever see myself moving on from 1440p at the 27″-30″ form factor, and I was extremely excited when you teased the 39″ 4K screen last year.

A single screen at that size would be a really excellent solution for those of us who would like the screen real estate that multi-monitor affords, but who do not want to deal with bezels or extreme FOV in games.

I am also interested in 39″ but I have discovered an academy format of 4096x2160p by LG which makes it slightly more wide for film, though it’s only 32″. A 37 or 40″. An Asus model with IPS or PLS would be fantastic for office and video.

It really depends on the game engine and the I settings. Overall a TITAN will definitely be able to play almost any title at this resolution but depending on the IQ settings this will vary from very fluid and responsive to being inconsistent in frame timing/latency and overall FPS. Your proposed configuration of two TITANS though is perfect for 4K even if you are targeting very demanding titles with high IQ settings enabled.

First time here, btw love your videos on youtube. I know the release date is still a mystery, however can you at least give us a ball park estimate so that I can make a more sensible decision as i need a new monitor. Thanks much!

unsure if this is a reliable source or outdated information buthttp://www.pcpop.com/doc/0/999/999341.shtml translated: Interface, PB287Q provides Displayport × 1, HDMI 1.4 × 1 and HDMI 1.4/MHL × 1. Meanwhile, the product built-in 2W × 2 stereo sound, as part of the user to purchase a separate exemption speaker trouble. As a true 4K monitors for mainstream consumers, ASUS PB287Q Overall very competitive, no accident, then in mid-April to meet with domestic consumers, let us wait and see

Is Asus considering 21:9 aspect ratio’s for 2160p screens ? I.E 5120x2160p. Sizing in around 39″ (roughly 36″ wide 15″ tall) would be godlike for all types of use, be it gaming or work related screen real estate. We have seen some new Monitors coming out at 21:9 at 3440×1440 which aspect wise look wicked, but they are both to small at roughly 25″ wide by only 11″ high, and are still 1440p not 2160p.

Are you talking about the ASUSPB287Q 4K monitor? I thought it was not available yet?

JJ10 months ago .

The PB will be available shortly we are projecting online availability approx first week of June. Stay tuned for more information soon.

Mike L B10 months ago .

+Tadas I was asking because Tadas was trashing some monitor he/she just received and I thought “No way is that the ASUS monitor this thread is about”. Also, How’s it going big guy (JJ)? I sent you an e-mail about your awesome “THE TEK Z97″ stream. Glad your feeling better too! Signed, ASUS #1 FAN – MikeLB

Mike L B10 months ago .

AKA Michael Bivins

Tadas10 months ago .

yes I am from uk

Mike L B10 months ago .

Oh, I see. ASUS makes the best products. Maybe it is shipping damage somehow? Maybe it wiggled around in the box while in transport? I can’t imagine ASUS sending any junk out.

Tadas10 months ago .

sorry but its true and I don’t think damaged, paint on plastic looks odd. did not paint properly to me. just bad luck maybe I don’t say will all them be same I contacted retailer for replacement or refund.

Mike L B10 months ago .

Well good luck. You will end up getting a great product in the end if ASUS has anything to say about it. They value their reputation. If the vendor doesn’t replace it with a proper one, let ASUS know. They’ve always made sure I am satisfied.

I currently run 3x 27″ 2560×1440 screens, two vertical, one horizontal for movies and games. Ultimately I’m looking for a single 8k screen in the 42″ range, possibly mildly curved. Until then I use a curved arm for my current screens, and thus want VESA mounts for anything I’ll consider. Setting my center screen up to 4k will be nice in the meantime.

A decent 39″er would also be a good intermediate step, assuming it doesn’t have major latency issues, and runs at at least 60hz.

What happened to the early/mid May launch? Are we ever going to get real information on the release of this display? No preorder options anywhere either, very discouraging. Personally i got sick of waiting for months and the lack of definitive information about the release. Picked up the Samsung U28D590D because it is now mid May when the Asus was supposed to be released and there’s still no real information about the release of the unit. For anyone interested the UD590 looks great and works fine if you dont mind the lack of a vesa mount. Would highly suggest it if you are like me and tired of waiting for so much as a solid release date for the Asus. Sorry Asus, love your products and wanted your version but the lack of information and the long wait ruined it for me. Maybe next time.

A. Get impatient and get second best. B. Wait a little longer and get the best… Hmmmm, I think I’ll go with option B. ASUS is always worth the wait. Derek, I’m sure you’re the best and you deserve the best….YOU SHOULD HAVE WAITED MY FRIEND.

I was tired of waiting for nothing. As far as one being better than the other, that remains to be seen since the Asus isnt even available where i live and supposedly uses the same panel as the Samsung anyway. Both Share the same basic specs and i didnt need the vesa mount. I also think the Samsung has a slightly more premium look to it for the cost. Honestly though, at this point i hope the Asus is a better monitor and feel it kinda has to be just to make it worth the wait and if Asus would of been more forthcoming about the actual release date or preorder information then maybe i would of kept waiting. I feel like Asus has been leading us on while they repeatedly push back the release of this monitor though and that is a quick way to kill someones interest in something.

Completely understandable. I am just a lifelong ASUS fan. Waiting is the hardest thing in the world for me. But, I know ASUS wants it to be perfect.

Derek Bales10 months ago .

I know what you mean, i have been a big Asus fan for a while myself but it just seems like lately the quality of their products has been falling. I work for a large tech warehouse and in the past year or so the amount of defective Asus products (primarily laptops and tablets) has steadily increased to the point that even the few hardcore Asus fans we had on staff are starting to change their recommendations to other brands. The 7″ Nexus Tablets specifically have been a big issue with a defect rate of over 50% for all the ones our staff have bought.

I´m impressed of the beauty with my old WQHD IPS panel standing right beside it. IQ is more or less the same (yes – even colours), with some advantages on the IPS side, but the res. makes more than up for it. 4K is so very impressive! An incredible amount of pixels.

OK, so it´s a keeper definetly, but some things are terrible too: the PbP Function. In theory it should be possible to run 2 x 1920×2160 side-by-side at 50-60Hz each, so you can get 50-60Hz 4K over the two HDMI 1.4 ports. However PbP is so badly implemented, that I almoust thought I ruined my unit. OSD gets unaccessible, when PbP fails and you are stuck with a black screen and nothing happens. After some trial and error I managed to recover the OSD, but let it be said: Don´t tangle with PbP Mode at all! It´s mighty broken for anything other than HD by HD or less. For beginners it´s a nightmare for sure! So we don´t get the chance to run 4K 50-60Hz via the two HDMI 1.4 ports, which was my intended use for them, but so it´s plug and unplug for me with my 2 PCs. That´s sad, especially because WQHD at 50Hz is running fine over HDMI, so there is enough bandwidth.

Otherwise there is nothing to complain about. For the price I got a great 4K monitor which exceeded my expectations IQ wise.

I will be providing more information on the PinP and PbyP function soon once I have my mass production sample. I will not though the HDMI was not designed to drive native 4K 60Hz it is there for secondary input functionality. For primary display purposes the DP connections should be used to ensure full bandwidth. I do agree though we need to ensure the functionality and features are communicated clearly along with how to correctly utilize it.

THX a lot JJ. You are right about the advertised functionality of the HDMI inputs – it would have been a nice bonus though.

Anyways meanwhile the monitor is showing more bugs. As I tested more features I ran into severe complications:

– When there is no input the OSD is unaccessible. That causes a lot of problems, when testing PbyP, PinP and DP 1.2 features and should get any beginner stuck within the first few hours. Did anyone read the cryptic chapter about PbyP and PinP in the manual and actually get what “resolution A” is.

– After resuming from Energy-Saving-Mode or switching sources the following things happen (most often) and sometimes even when just using it normally :

Using DP the monitor looses any connection to the GPU and refuses to reestablish it even after a complete shut-down and restart of the PC and the monitor. The only way to get DP to work again whatsoever is to set it up as source in PinP mode an then switching the main sources and then disabling PinP again. This only works with a HDMI source connected.

Using HDMI the unit restarts so slow, that windows switches the display off completely and then on again, resulting in a window and icon mismatch.

Honestly, it seems that the firmware is buggy and tends to loose connection to the GPU, at least with DP. Nearly everytime it has to handle changes it says “DP – no connection” and vanishes from the intel or nvidia control panels to never return (except for the PinP/HDMI trick).

Will be contacting support tomorrow, but it seems I´m not the only one with problems. Another user reported no 60Hz functionality at all.

as I found out our problems are not specific to this monitor. It seems to be a problem with displayport in general and especially 4K using it.

Diplayport is widely reported to be tricky with sleep-mode or cold-monitor-restarts. It´s said to happen around 50% of the time, that when you resume your PC the DP-stream gets lost. So with any displayport monitor/GPU combination it´s a gamble regardless of the resolution, while 4K tends to push the issue.

So, by all means, buy it if you want it. Be aware to be an early adopter in the whole 4K ecospace though. There are some minor issues left between the GPU guys and monitor guys as it seems.

I would never change back to sub-4K definitely. The picture with this baby is just so sweeeet! -)

LG

So far no more probs, since not using sleep-mode. Maybe it´s GPU related (TITAN) or something. As a workaround I use a splendid profile with 0 brightness… not perfect, but it has to do. Can´t go back from 4K -)

I wonder if that is a Nvidia specifica problem. I have the Samsung UD590 4k display and use a radeon R9 290 over DP for my PC and use my PS4 over HDMI. I have only had my display about 2 weeks now but i have yet to have any issues using the PiP or the PbP options. Actually i havent had any issues with the OSD or signal loss either. It always detects my source fine and resizes properly when using the PiP/PbP. I use the PiP/PbP almost every time i use my PS4 and it always resizes and detects the signal from my PC and PS4 without issues. I also cold restart my monitor constantly instead of using sleep mode and my PC always detects when i turn it off or on and gives me a proper 4k picture within a few seconds. Not sure if there is anything i could try with my setup to help you figure out what the issue is but if you can think of anything let me know.

Thx for the info. I´m testing the whole thing atm, but as there is a new beta driver from nvidia addressing post issues with 4K, I think you may very well be right with your assumption.

However a new haswel system and new 4K-certified DP cables are on the way, so I can test with 2 4K-ready systems the next days. As of now I only have the TITAN with its DP 1.2 port and the DP cable included with the monitor. If the cable turns out to be the problem, ASUS must be very ashamed, but we´ll see.

Yeah it would be pretty sad if it was the cable they include with the monitor. Hopefully the new nvidia drivers will fix the issue though. My cable is actually just an old one for my previous 1080p monitor but worked fine, not even using haswell either, Got annoyed by the lack of true 16x PCIe support for multi GPU Systems in haswell and ended up replacing my haswell system with an ivy bridge E Series (i7-4820k) so i could run 4x R9 290’s. I only have 2x 290’s atm but its not enough for high settings in games yet.

Eureka! The 750 does it! Where Haswel and AMD failed miserably NVIDIA really did it. New 337.88 WHQL and erverythings fine… BIOS and POST work for me, too now.

AMD officially said their cards can´t support 4K SST displays as their timing controllers can´t do it. I phoned them several times about the issue and it´s really official. There will be no driver update for this, as they can´t do it hardware-wise.

hmm, thats a bit odd to hear. I wonder if its just the lower end R7 series cards that have that issue. I am using 2x R9 290’s to run my samsung UD590 at 4k SST 60hz using DP1.2 with no issues and even use it to play games on so i’m fairly sure its running at a full 60hz. Or at least as close as i can tell. I get a little screen tearing now and then but most of the time its fine, Played a selection of video games now too, both battlefield 4 and borderlands 2 run at solid frame rates. As far as the haswell support goes, im really not surprised, i believe 2k is the highest resolution actually listed in any of the specs for the intel HD series video that i have seen. I will mess around with the onboard video later though and see what it does.

I had a hard time believing that AMD can´t do 4K SST at all, especially as I remembered you and another user with the Asus PB 287 using R9s with no problems. I told the guy at AMD support on the phone and he said you were lucky… hard to believe. Anyways I requested a list of 4K SST 60Hz capable GPUs from both NVIDIA and AMD support to clarify things.

As of haswel, it is advertised to be 4K compatible and motherboard manufacturers state a max DP resolution of 4096×2160/60Hz at their spec-sheets. Several succesfull tests with MST displays are all over the net. Let´s see what it does with the Samsung….

Spent some time this weekend messing with the onboard video from the MSI Z87i Gaming AC Board with the Samsung U28D590D and They definitely do not work right together. I guess i shouldnt be surprised though as my board Specs do not list 4k 60hz support. Every time i hook it up it actually makes the computer error and not boot properly. The only way i can get it to boot and work is to unplug it, boot the system, then plug it in and it will work at 1080p. Didnt matter if i used HDMI or Display Port.

Thanks for the feedback. We are looking at adding in 2560×1440 but at this time it needs to be manually done via custom resolution modifier. As to the other two options they are under discussion but no guarantees at this time. If we release any updates ( firmware based ) we will announce it on the PCDIY website and YouTube channel.

If you are looking into firmware updates, please check the sleep-mode function, too. It´s not working atm as you have a 50% chance of getting the “DP – no signal” message when resuming from it.

The problem is reported by many users across the different forums. Workaround for now is to switch the display off and on instead, but this leads to window chaos on the desktop. It´s a hassle in day to day use…

We have tested “s” states without issues internally can you. You may want to update your drivers including your chipset and graphics driver. Additionally if you have your system overclock it can affect “s” states.

The issues are reported widely and I´ve tested it with 4 different GPUs – AMD and NVIDIA alike. So please don´t tell it´s Asus opinion that “s”-modes do work, because they don´t – if not for all, at least for a lot of users.

Any news/hints on if larger 4k monitors are in the works. I wont be buying the current small 4k screens period, so I am seriosly only interested in larger screens 37″-42″. Also any 5120×2160 Ultra Wide UHD screens coming ?

I have had this monitor for about 2 weeks now and I am absolutely loving it! There are two things that I would like to point out though, similiar to Tadas’ issues. After turning off my pc for an extended period of time and when the monitor turns back on within 30 seconds I hear a distinct pop noise then maybe 5-10 sec later I get a black screen. Afterwards I either get my signal back within maybe 10-20 seconds, or just stays like that and I have to restart the monitor to get picture again. Afterwards I experience no problems whatsoever. Second for whatever reason I can only run this monitor at 4K 60hz only with the short 3ft dp 1.2 cable that comes in the box. If I use my longer 10ft cable I can’t get signal at all. I am seeing tons of reviews on Newegg reporting the black screen popping issue, so do you guys have any kind of fw update in the works. ? I have all the latest drivers, reset my overclock and tested this with multiple pc’s in my home and the issue still remains the same. Thanks!

I can second that cables are absolutely critical. I know there is technically no difference in spec for DP1.1 and DP1.2. However, cable quality is a big issue for successful 4k-60Hz. I would state that you should only use certified cables.

I have a R9 270 card with mini-DP so I couldn’t use the included DP cable.

My saga: 1) I tried a 3ft mini-DP/DP which I had already. Never worked at 60Hz worked ok at 30Hz. You would think at 3ft wet string would have worked, but no…

2) Next I bought a mini-DP/DP 10ft cabel rated for DP1.2 This cable would let me do 60Hz on a static desktop. Playing video or loading the GPU with FurMark would cause the audio to breakup and then the picture to drop

3) Next Accell B143B-007J Based on Accell being one of the few certified cables I got the 6.6ft Accell B143B-007J. Works like a charm, full GPU load no problem. $15 well spent.

JJ – You may want to throw one in the box in the future

I also had some problems where the monitor wouldn’t connect on resume from sleep (even with stream set to DP1.1 set) . In my bios there was a setting to use UEFI video bios if available. I selected option do only use non-uefi video bios which seems to have helped the resume issue. May just be a fluke but who knows.

Today I recognized a new monitor .inf file on the ASUS support page. There are two different versions of the files now, so I contacted support via telephone to ask which one is the correct one. There is no indication on the display itself to identify, which revision it is.

When I told them the serial number they informed me, that there are two revisions of the monitor out there. In the first revision, which I own, there was a 3% rate of displays showing the resume issues. They RMA this displays, as there is no method of a FW update.

So if you have resume issues or black-outs it´s RMA for you. As they bring you a new display when taking the old one, this is no hassle at all and I would recommend you to do so.

As I found no corresponding number to the ones on the support page, I simply called them and asked. They needed the S/N and told me I got first rev. . … and that 3% thing, which made me RMA the display.

Today I got my replacement display and all problems are gone for good. I just tested resume from sleep mode 10 times in a row and the display always recovered fast and without issues. The ASUS logo, that was displayed by my old diplay, is gone, too btw. So it seems there is a new firmware on board, which feels snappier and more stable than the previous one.

4K is really best served by a minimum 2 GPU configuration, although some titles will allow for 4K resolution with a single high end GPU like 770 or greater. Based on your specification you would need to at least consider GTX 770 SLI. One limiting factor though is 2GB frame buffer will slightly affect you not as much as the lack of CUDA cores on the GPU side but it will affect performance to a degree as such you will need to balance IQ settings that tend to consume more VRAM.http://pcdiy.asus.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?comment_status=moderated#comments-form